TORONTO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard was ejected in the team’s 108-103 loss to the Toronto Raptors in NBA action on Sunday afternoon.
The ejection occurred with 1:18 left in the second quarter when Howard and Raptors forward Alan Anderson got tangled after a successful free throw by Metta World Peace.
Both players received a technical foul for their rough behaviour; Howard’s was his second of the game. He had picked up one at the 4:43 mark of the first quarter after his shot was blocked by Raptors center, Aaron Gray.
Following the game, Howard was not available to media for comments and had already left the locker room once the doors were opened to the media for post-game coverage.
Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni refused to offer an opinion on the incident, saying “That’s the referee’s call.”
Teammate Kobe Bryant did not hold back on his opinion of the play and was furious of the second technical foul issued to Howard.
“I really don’t agree with that one at all,” said Bryant. “What’s a player supposed to do? The guy is confronted, trying to walk back up the court.”
“The official told me he should just walk away. I said, ‘What should he do, what back to the bench?’ There’s nothing he can do,” added Bryant. “A guy comes up to him, puts a forearm in his chest and you say one thing, and now it’s a double technical. I just don’t agree with that.”
With two technical fouls today, Howard has accumulated a total of 80 in his nine-year NBA career with the Magic and Lakers. His ejection is his second of the season and his third of his career.
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